Soccer: Expert Guides and Resources

Getting your kid out onto the soccer field for organized play takes some planning. Most areas have multiple programs to choose from with different levels of play at different age groups. This Cheat Sheet gives you some tips on what to look for in available soccer programs to help you pick the right one. Then, there’s a guide on the basics your kid needs to get out there for the first game or practice.

Soccer is a game played by two teams with 11 players each on a field with a goal for each team. It’s the most popular team sport on the planet, a fast-paced game with few breaks and one simple aim — to score a goal.On some continents, the game is called football; on others, it’s called soccer. Other names for the sport include: footy, fitba, fútbol, calcio, futebol, voetbol, le foot, foci, sakka, and bong da.

Coaching soccer should be safe and fun for you and your players, so start by getting familiar with the layout of the soccer field. As a soccer coach your players will look to you for guidance so use some helpful tips to teach and motivate them. Create a pregame routine to check the field and prepare your soccer players for the game and deliver a strong pregame speech to inspire your team.

Football is an easy game to understand. It’s also the most popular team sport on the planet. Whether you’re watching or playing in the UK or the United States, you may still feel the need for a helping hand once in a while.The football pitch, or field of playIf you’re going to understand football as those in the UK see it, you need to find your way around the pitch the game is played on (or playing field in American English).

The offside rule is the most debated soccer principle (no matter where the game is played), even though what is known as Law 11 isn't terribly difficult to grasp. Here’s what offside is all about:A player is caught offside if he’s nearer to the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second-last opponent (including the goalkeeper) when his teammate plays the ball to him.

The most basic of all soccer skills is dribbling, the ability to carry the ball past an opponent while being in control, whether by using a series of simple taps or a fantastic move around a foe. If a player can't dribble a ball, then he cannot play the game. Every player, including the goalkeeper, must be able to dribble the ball at some level of competency.